Old Married Couple
by jane0904
Summary: A little one-off set anytime mid 2nd season. Two friends are enjoying a drink and talking. And maybe something more. For D F Twinkie. Enjoy!


"They act like an old married couple."

"Yeah. Not having sex."

"Married couples have sex."

"Not after a while."

"I'll have you know I know a whole slew of couples who've been married for years and still have –"

"Prove it."

"What?"

"Prove it. Prove they have sex."

"They tell me."

"And you believe them."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"And you call yourself a medical examiner."

"And you call yourself a cop, but I don't disagree out loud."

Javier Esposito glared at her, then shrugged. With a half-smile tugging at his lips, he took another pull at the bottle of beer in his hand. "Lanie, I love you."

Lanie Parrish looked around quickly. "Don't you go saying things like that. People might be listening."

"So?"

"So I don't want to be the talk of the precinct."

"You mean instead of the stories you spread around about Castle and Beckett."

"That's different."

He turned on his bar stool enough so he could look her straight in the face. "How?"

"It … just is."

"You know that's a totally weak-ass excuse."

She wrinkled her nose at him, then took a sip of her own drink, something bright orange with an umbrella in it that had cost him half his weekly wage. "Anyway, I'm allowed to say things. I'm her best friend."

"Looks to me sometimes like you're her _only_ friend." Esposito glanced over her shoulder to the booth where they had been sitting before Ryan and his girlfriend had started making goo-goo eyes at each other. They were still at it, but Castle was sitting back, enjoying the show, while Beckett looked indulgent with maybe a hint of embarrassment.

"It's not her fault she works all the hours she can." Lanie sighed. "And it's not like men don't ask her out."

"Considering she spends most of her time with cops, crooks or Castle, that doesn't exactly give her a wide range to choose from."

"Castle's okay." She hiccupped, annoyed at the fact the alcohol was affecting her as much as she was annoyed she'd been goaded into defending him. "'Scuse me." For the hiccup or the defending, she wasn't quite sure.

Esposito either hadn't noticed or decided to be a gentleman and ignore it. "Castle's an okay feller. Just a bit …"

"Mmn," she agreed. "I know what you mean."

"But they'd be good for each other."

"You think?" This time Lanie shook her head. "They're nothing alike."

"Are you sure you're you?" Esposito joked. "Aren't you the one saying they should get a room and get it on?"

"Shut up. I'm playing devil's advocate here."

"Oh. Right." He smirked. "So if I say they complement each other ..."

"I'll say they've got nothing in common."

"So? It'd give them something to talk about over their pillows."

"He annoys her."

"That can be fun too."

"She's committed to being a cop, he should just be committed."

Esposito grinned. "That sounds like a Beckett quote."

"Maybe it is, but it's true. They're just too far apart."

"How close do you want to get? I mean, once you fall into bed, you're –"

"Please. Do not go any further with that thought."

"What, Castle and Beckett in the throes of passion?"

Lanie looked a little sick. "I told you. She's my friend. I'd rather contemplate Ryan and Jenny."

"Okay, now _I _feel nauseous."

Covering her mouth with her hand, Lanie gave a girlish giggle that had to be the effect of the booze. "Okay, maybe me too. But that's not the point." She visibly calmed herself. "She only sees the clichés."

"You think so."

"I know so. The 'twelve year old on a sugar rush'." She couldn't help it – she did the air quotes. "The 'loving father'. The 'devoted son'. The 'best friend'. Kate doesn't see beyond it."

"Is there a beyond it?"

Lanie picked up her glass. "I think so. The real man. The one that's all those things, and a whole lot more." She drained the last of the cocktail, her mental musings on an alcohol-fuelled switchback. "A _whole_ lot."

"Weren't you on the other side just now?"

"I'm a woman. I'm allowed to change my mind."

"Hmmn."

"Anyway, you know why? Why Kate won't give him a chance? Because she's scared." Now she was getting into it, her enthusiasm was showing like the corner of a lace-edged petticoat. "She doesn't want to see any further, because she might like it. Him."

"Then why don't they just get it over and done with?"

"It?" She peered at him at the same time as gesturing to the barman for a refill. "I'm presuming you're talking about going to bed together."

Oh, well. There went the rest of his salary. "Whatever you want to call it. Going to bed. Making love. Sex. Fu –"

Lanie held up a hand. "That's enough. And Kate isn't like that. She doesn't do one-night stands."

"Peter Grey."

She shook his suggestion away. "A one off."

"Isn't that the definition of a one-night stand?"

"I mean he was an aberration." She half-shrugged again, her eyes closing. "Besides, I'm sure if he hadn't turned out to be the murderer she'd have gone out with him again."

"That kind of thing tends to put a crimp in the relationship."

"At least you know where they are at night." They shared a knowing smile before Lanie went on, "You think she's worried Castle might turn out to be the same thing?"

"Castle a serial killer? About the only thing he murders is the English language."

"Don't let her hear you say that," Lanie warned, smiling at the barman as he delivered her fresh drink, then at Esposito as he handed over a couple of bills. "You know she loves his books."

"Her and Ryan between them." Esposito sighed heavily. "You have no idea how I dread the next one coming out."

"_Naked Heat_. Kate hates the title."

He chuckled. "I'm not surprised. You think there's gonna be a lot of sex in it?"

"It's a Richard Castle book. What do you think?"

"I think he won't wait until page 105."

"Sex sells." With that comment Lanie took a healthy glug from her imaginatively entitled _Bronx Bloodstain_. She had no idea what was in it, but it had a kick like a mule.

Esposito watched her throat as her muscles tensed and relaxed, but kept the conversation going. "Personally I thought the sex in _Heat Wave_ was pretty vanilla. I bet Castle's got an X-rated version somewhere on his laptop."

"Have you asked?"

"Me and Ryan, just after the launch. He said it was for him to know, and us never to find out." Esposito looked back at the booth. "Hey, they've gone."

Lanie followed his line of sight. The table was now only occupied by Ryan and his girlfriend, staring into each other's eyes. "When did they leave?"

"No idea."

"You think –"

"No."

Lanie sighed. No matter that she had been arguing both for and against any relationship between her best friend and Big Rick all night, she knew how Kate really felt about him, if only she'd admit it to herself. "Damn."

"They've probably gone for pizza. Or burgers. Or maybe ice-cream at that new place around the corner. They're open until late."

"I suppose that's a start." Picking up her drink again, she saw the face of the small watch about her wrist. "God, is that the time? I have to get home. I've got two bodies to cut up tomorrow, early."

"Perlmutter still out sick?"

"Still. He's says he can't do an autopsy with a broken arm. Personally I think he's just being mean." She stood up, swaying just a fraction. "I need to get to my bed."

Esposito smiled slightly. "Come on," he said, linking his arm through hers. "I'll call you a cab."

Outside, the cooler air seemed to revive her somewhat, and she took a deep breath. "That's better,"

"You know, I could take you home," Esposito offered.

"No, thanks."

"We could share a cab."

"After last time, that wasn't all we shared."

"Lanie –"

"No."

He tried the puppy-dog eyes. "Then you could take me back to your place. I'm clean, I'm good with pets. And I'm house-trained."

"And I think we're both had more than enough."

"Nope. Not until I can make you say yes."

"I did already. And look how that turned out."

"Nobody knows."

"And that's how it's going to stay." She looked up as a fat raindrop burst on the apple of her cheek and she ducked back under the awning. "Damn."

"And it's raining." He grinned lopsidedly. "Just a cab. That's all. So one of us doesn't have to get pneumonia and make the other feel guilty."

"I wouldn't feel guilty." Still, a rumble of thunder in the distance suggested more than just a light shower. "Oh, go on. But nothing's going to happen."

"Of course not." The grin widened, became perhaps a little too smug as he ran out towards the road, intent on getting them a ride.

_Sometimes Esposito's all too much like Castle_, Lanie mused, shaking her head slightly. _I wonder what writer boy's like in the bed department?_ She smiled slowly. _Maybe one day I can get Kate to tell me._


End file.
